Quebec Tenant Rights You Need To Know Before You Move To A New Apartment In Montreal

Renters' rights in Montreal.

Moving Day in Montreal is next week and many people are scrambling to get ready for the big day. While you've probably already found a place to live, many are still on the hunt.

While July 1st fast approaches, many tenants are wondering what exactly their rights are when it comes to renting an apartment in the city. If you're a local, you know that some landlords might have shady practices.

Whether you've rented in Montreal before or not, it's important to know your rights. Luckily, here at MTLBlog, we've looked into this for you! Thanks to this handy guide from the Régie du Logement Québec, we've outlined all the major tenants' rights that you need to know about.

Your landlord cannot terminate your lease if your roommate moves out.

This happens sometimes, especially during this time of the year. If your landlord complains and threatens eviction, remind them that it's against the law.

Your landlord cannot modify a preexisting agreement without written consent.

Let's say your new apartment was supposed to come with a parking space. By law, your landlord has to include that in the lease. If they rescind the parking space even though it's on the lease, that's illegal.

Your landlord is not allowed to ask for private information.

If you're coming in from out of town, your landlord might ask you for your passport or visa papers, driver's license, etc. Don't give it to them. It's illegal for them to ask for anything other than one proof of I.D., proof of address, and date of birth to conduct a credit check.

Your landlord cannot enter your apartment without 24 hours notice.

If your apartment is up for rent, you're used to the constant parade of people in and out. However, your landlord needs to give you 24 hours notice before any apartment viewings. If they haven't they're breaking the law.

A landlord cannot rent an apartment that's unsafe.

If in your apartment searches you've stumbled across places with exposed wires, mould, caved-in walls, and crumbling ceilings with promises that they'll be fixed when you move in, take pictures of the place and report that landlord to the rental board.